Day Sixteen – January 13, 2020

Read: Psalm 103:6-14 The Inclusive Bible

The Inclusive Bible uses YHWH for God.  YHWH is used instead of spelling out YAHWEH in order to honor Jewish practice in which the name of God is so holy, so revered, that it is not spelled out nor said aloud.  You will often see G-d written out instead of God.  What would it mean if we took the name of God more seriously and reverently?

 

How you love justice, Yhwh !

You are always on the side of the oppressed.

You revealed your intentions to Moses, your deeds to Israel.  

You are tender and compassionate, Yhwh —

 slow to anger, and always loving;

 your indignation doesn’t endure forever,

and your anger lasts only for a short time.

 You never treat us as our sins deserve;

you don’t repay us in kind for the injustices we do.

For as high as heaven is above the earth,

so great is the love for those who revere you.

 As far away as the east is from the west,

 that’s how far you remove our sins from us!

As tenderly as parents treat their children,

that’s how tenderly you treat your worshipers, Yhwh !

 For you know what we are made of—

you remember that we’re nothing but dust.

 

Are you familiar with the Enneagram? It is a personality type inventory.  Click here to learn more Enneagram 

 

I am an Enneagram 6.  We are called “The Loyalist”.  We are responsible, detail oriented, and like to prevent future problems by assessing and mitigating risk today.  I like some of the things that are said about my personality type, and some I truly dislike, but that doesn’t make them any less true.

Here’s a truth about my personality type – we are incredibly hard on ourselves.  When I mess up there’s nothing you can do to make me feel worse than I already do.  As a teen I did something of which I was not proud.  I hung on to those feelings of failure, guilt and shame for a long time.  Then one day, I unburdened myself to someone I trusted.  This person listened without judgment.  Their love was so God-like for me, that I was finally able to move the forgiveness I believed in my head that God gives to everyone, to forgiveness that I finally felt in my heart.

A spiritual director I saw suggested that I should intentionally make some mistakes, not big huge ones, but big enough for me to see that the world didn’t end and that God still loved me.  I needed some practice in receiving God’s gift of grace.

 

This Psalm reminds me of the love and faithfulness of God.  God doesn’t hang on to my faults and sins.  God does not hang onto anger toward me when I mess up.  God’s love for humanity is wider than the skies.

This is such great news for us! 

 

Listen to this song by Gungor Beautiful Things by Gungor

It reminds us that God makes beautiful things out of dust.  God sees beauty in us, even when we can’t see it ourselves.

Visual Liturgy:

Prayer Focus:

How do you handle your anger?  Do you hang onto it for a long time?  What would help you release that anger and let it go?

Grace and peace,
Pastor Karen Bruins